R-pod Owners Forum Homepage

This site is free to use.
Donations benefit a non-profit Girls Softball organization

Forum Home Forum Home > R-pod Discussion Forums > Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed: Traveling with full Fresh Water Tank
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Calendar   Register Register  Login Login

Topic ClosedTraveling with full Fresh Water Tank

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
Woody.1 View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 16 Feb 2018
Location: SW Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 31
Direct Link To This Post Topic: Traveling with full Fresh Water Tank
    Posted: 05 Apr 2019 at 9:14am
Is it safe to travel with full fresh water tank for boondocking? I’ve read on some forums that it’s a bad idea and the tank supports will fail. If you’re boondocking it only makes sense that you have to travel with it full. Now I’m worried to fill tank and travel to boondocking sites. Some are the roads we take are bumpy, but I take it slow.
Back to Top
lostagain View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2587
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 2019 at 9:27am
We do it all the time with no issues.  We do try to wait to fill up in the Sierras because the water is pretty much pure snow melt and doesn't leave calcium deposits in the system.  We've traveled all the way from home to Sedona AZ with a full tank of fresh water and really didn't notice the difference.  The fresh water tank in a 172 is just behind the axle, so one must pay attention to balancing the load and keeping the tongue weight in the proper range.  We do have axle risers so we have good ground clearance for forest service roads.
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
Back to Top
texman View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 24 Jul 2014
Location: TeXas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 446
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 2019 at 9:29am
woody
i have done it many times.  Yes, as you said, take it easy.  If you haven't already done so, get under the pod and check the mounts that hold the tank to the frame and make sure that they are secure.  mine only had two bolts on each end and had a gap between the frame and piece that supports the tank.  i added a bolt to each end and put a spacer just to help in case.  Mine had not failed BTW.  Others have added bolts all the way through the frame as well.  I have not heard of a pod that dropped a fresh water tank before, but better safe than sorry. 

There have been many failures of the support for the sewer line if you havent heard that yet. you may want to inspect that as well.

Happy camping!
TexMan 2015 182g
2018 Sequoia
TexManMods
Back to Top
tcj View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 05 Jul 2018
Location: Central WA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 141
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 2019 at 9:43am
Some people say that their holding tanks were not installed correctly and were liable to fall out.  I looked at mine and didn't see any problems with the installation.

We like to camp in remote areas and travel some pretty rough off pavement roads.  Like you, I keep my speed compatible with the how rough the road is.




2018 R-pod 180 Hood River Edition
Back to Top
offgrid View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 2019 at 10:08am
Sure, I do it all the time, there is no alternative when boondocking. As others have said, check your attachments. Do beware of what that does to your trailer tongue weight. In lostagain's 172 it reduces it. In my 179 it adds about 100 lbs to the already high tongue weight, which winds up being about 550 lbs. Check yours. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
Back to Top
GlueGuy View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2628
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 2019 at 10:09am
We have traveled both with empty and full FWT depending on what we expect for water at the other end. On a 179, the FWT is in front of the axle, so it adds to the tongue weight. Other models have the FWT in back of the axle, so it could affect stability. Be sure you know which yours is.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.64
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz